Project Number: 5366-21000-028-32
Project Type: Trust

Start Date: May 01, 2010
End Date: Dec 31, 2012

Objective:
1) To identify marker trait associations between elite North American oat varieties and total dietary fiber, beta glucan, disease resistance and agronomics using association genetics. 2) Develop predictive assays for total dietary fiber, beta glucan, and disease resistance. 3) Implement TDF and BG predictive assays in marker-assisted breeding to develop oat varieties with higher levels of each trait.

Approach:
Six-hundred and twelve oat lines representing the diversity important to North American Oat breeding programs and elite lines from each breeding program will be grown in ID, ND, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg. Seed harvested from these locations will be milled in Aberdeen and assayed for total dietary fiber and beta glucan levels in Winnipeg. Disease data (Crown rust, Stem rust, and BYDV) will be collected in IN, IL, NY, WI, and MN. Genotypic and phenotypic data will be used to determine marker-trait association using JMP Genomics and TASSEL. An open array real-time TaqMan assay will develop to run predictive assay on marker-trait associations. The predictive assays will then be employed through the ARS Genotyping center in Raleigh, NC, to begin development of oat varieties with improved levels of TDF, BG, and disease resistance. Document Trust with Prairie Oat Growers Association. Log 40795.